Give a brief summary of what your company does and who you are as a company.
Elite Insulation & PolyPro LLC is a locally owned and operated family business established by Bob, Ken and Chris Wells. Being involved in the traditional fiberglass insulation for many years, we have witnessed changes in the insulation industry. Namely, the increasing cost of energy, consumer driven environmental awareness and a demand for more efficient homes.
Traditional insulation has its limits and in order to meet consumer needs, Elite Insulation & PolyPro set out to provide a range of insulation systems that would significantly improve the way homes and buildings are insulated. Spray Polyurethane foams (SPF) and their associated hybrid methods are those systems. We are the Valley’s leading full-service spray polyurethane foam insulation company.
Our many years of industry experience ensure that we provide valuable insight and offer solutions that keep projects on track and within budget. Customer satisfaction is our priority and we take pride in our commitment to quality and service. Our sales and operations staff are spray foam experts that have been properly educated in the building science concepts, with over 80 years combined industry experience. Polypro applicators are thoroughly trained professionals that specialize in installing SPF correctly and rapidly and have the benefit of using the newest and most up to date equipment.
Give us some background on your company. What do you do and why do you do it?
I (and my brother Chris) have literally grown up in the insulation industry. My Dad, Bob Wells, managed an insulation contracting branch while we were in school and we would work installing insulation in the summers. He seemed to really like giving us the jobs that his installers would refuse, such as the really tight, dirty, crawl spaces. At 22 years old I was made a branch manager for a that same large corporation in the Shenandoah Valley, and held that position for 6 years until myself and my family decided to branch out and start our own business.
Do you have an ideal client? If so, what do they look like?
An ideal client for me is just someone who will trust in our expertise and allow us to help them get the best possible job while remaining within their budget. Good communication always helps too.
What is your favorite success story in the past few years?
I think for a contractor or anyone in the construction related industry these days, staying in business is the biggest success story. Other than that, winning back to back (2011& 2012) SPFA National Excellence awards, as well as being a finalist this year for the same award (third place), speaks volumes about our company and has certainly been exciting for us.
What do you like to do for fun? Favorite restaurant? Favorite place to spend a Saturday afternoon?
Anything that I can do with my kids or family, I consider fun. Recently, with my kids becoming more involved with sports, I find myself really enjoying watching them play. We also really enjoy tailgating at JMU football games, and “primative” family camping. My favorite restaurant is any place that can prepare an excellent “Pittsburgh Rare” steak. Hands down, my favorite place to spend a Saturday would be surf/pier fishing somewhere in the Outer Banks, while “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” plays in my head.
What is on your (iPod, radio, phone) while you work?
I usually don’t listen to music while I work, but in the gym you can find just about everything on my phone, from Pink Floyd to Hard Rock and Rap. Classic Rock, Rock, and Country would be at the top of the list with Pink Floyd being my all-time favorite band.
What is your favorite book?
It has been a while since I have fully finished a book other than “The Cat in The Hat”, but as I remember, “The Sphere”, by Michael Criton was one of my favorites. I am a big science and science fiction fan. One thing that I do read cover to cover is Discover Magazine.
What is your favorite app for your phone or iPod?
All of my favorites have navigation in common. Telenav is my general navigation app that has never failed me. SageQuest is the app I use to locate our fleet trucks in real time, and RunKeeper is my personal trainer and record keeper for my exercise routines.
Where is your favorite place to vacation?
I think that would be a toss-up, as I have extremely fond childhood memories of vacationing in Nags Head, but just recently was fortunate enough to go on a Disney Cruise (my wife is a travel agent) with my wife and kids. One of the stops was Cozumel, and as a biology major in college, I could snorkel and look at ocean wildlife in crystal clear water for days on end. Also, when I did get out of the water, I had the most wonderful Mexican food to snack on. For me, snorkeling and good Mexican food is a tough combo to beat!
What historical figure would you most like to have dinner with and why?
I would thoroughly enjoy sitting and eating with one of the great Egyptian Pharaohs (take your pick). There are so many unanswered questions from this time period, maybe we could learn a thing or two.
